Second Chance
by lostcowgirl
Summary: No thanks to the Gunther brothers Matt missed out on taking Kitty to breakfast. By successfully rescuing her from their clutches at a cabin out on the prairie he has another chance at their Delmonico's date and more.


Second Chance

I was on my way to tell Mr. Bodkin about the two bank robbers likely on the way to Dodge from Wichita when I spotted Kitty in her fancy riding habit sitting side saddle. What I saw before me was a beautiful high society lady from back east. She was far too elegant to be half owner of the Long Branch even if it is the classiest saloon in this frontier cow town. Looking like she did, this vision should have no interest in a man with the very chancy job of US Marshal for Kansas. Surprisingly she does, so I took hold of the reins of her horse and asked her to breakfast. I never suspected it would lead to just what I feared – some spoiler using her to get to me.

She should never have come with me to the bank. If she hadn't the Gunter brothers wouldn't have taken her hostage. Jed and Billy must have witnessed me sweet talking Kitty on the street. At the very least they reckoned she was waiting for me. Once the robbery was in progress my actions were limited. I couldn't let Bodkin shoot them nor could I do it. It ate at me to stand there helpless as they took her away. They believed I was afraid to follow, alone or with a posse, because of Jed's boast his first kill was a woman. In his mind I clung to the hope they'd let her go once they'd put enough distance between them and Dodge. They were wrong, except I wouldn't be leading a posse.

Knowing my least mistake would mean her death I waited, despite wanting to immediately snatch her away from them. My emotions churned at the inaction – Chester's and Doc's mutterings only making my state of mind during the delay worse. Though the wait seemed to last decades, it was only a couple hours later when Chester and I left to follow their trail without being seen – I hoped. We caught up to them that night. Our dark camp under cover of the trees on a hill overlooked the cabin they'd holed up in. I was certain of two things. Jed Gunther would follow through on his threat to kill Kitty if he spotted anyone following them and I'd kill him to make sure he didn't.

She was in danger even if nobody went after them, simply because of the sort of excuses for men they were. Kitty's a strong woman, but no match for two beasts bent on having their pleasure at her expense. Last night Chester suggesting they'd molest her caused me to swear before God I'd choke them to death with my bare hands. I know Doc knows how I feel about her, but until then I wasn't sure if Chester did as well. Perhaps it was the certainty of her danger and no longer having to pretend about the depth of my feelings for her that let me ignore the latest of his lapses. Chester sheepishly admitted he grabbed a shotgun instead of a carbine from the gun rack in the office. Especially if they had hurt her, but also because her being at their mercy was my fault, I preferred their deaths be all mine.

The Gunthers emerged with Kitty. They weren't taking any chance she could get away. Pushing my emotions into the background so as not to hamper my skill with a rifle, I killed both brothers with near automatic precision. It was a good thing I did because even as he lay dying Jed tried to shoot Kitty. I fired one last shot into him then raced to envelop her in my arms. At that moment I hoped the desperate way she clung to me resulted from a combination of relief and desperation, estimating it had been 36 hours since her last meal or drink of water.

"Are they dead?" she whispered.

"Yeah, they're dead," I replied just as she fainted.

"I got an idea they didn't feed her anything at all," I remarked to Chester as I carried Kitty toward the cabin.

"Mr. Dillon, they left nary enough stew to feed a pup. I'll scrounge around in their saddlebags for somethin' more."

"We'll do without, Chester as long as they left a smidgeon for Kitty," I told him as I eyeballed the cabin and it's contents.

I spotted two used plates and two cups with the dregs from the coffee they'd drunk on the table, three saddles, one a sidesaddle, and two saddlebags in a corner along with the rope, only partially untied from the chair, used as a precaution in case the Gunther guarding Kitty dozed off. I reckon they learned just how remarkable a redhead she is. Unlike most women she's not the type to be resigned to her fate. If given half the chance she'd attempt to escape even if she never managed to get hold of one of their guns. Nor would she give up on me following. Finally, I turned my attention to the open door to the bedroom. Upon entering the room I noticed a bedroll spread over the bare mattress that sat on the bedstead and the dented pillow.

I placed Kitty on top of the bedroll, but held her head up until I could spread my bandana over where a Gunther had put his head. I hated to leave her on top of blankets soiled by them, but I had no choice. She was unconscious and I couldn't put anything fresh on the bed while I carried her. If Chester and I worked together we could fetch our own bedrolls and canteens and remove any sign of her kidnappers before she awoke. Chester brought our horses and gear down the hill and the Gunthers's and Kitty's mounts from around back. I moved as fast as I could, my ears attuned to the least sound coming from the bedroom during the few minutes it took to tie the brothers across their saddles.

I could hear Chester puttering around building up the fire to reheat the stew that remained in the large pot hanging in the fireplace and rummaging for whatever else might be edible while I tended to Kitty behind the closed bedroom door. I removed my bandana then placed a couple of pillows I'd spotted on a bit of shelving on top of the one already on the bed next to a chest full of bed linens. Then, propping her up against them, I snatched away the outlaw's bedroll, lay Chester's blankets beneath her legs before removing her upper clothing so I could loosen the stays on her corset. When I'd made her as comfortable as possible, covering her with my own bedroll, I lifted her head in order to get water from my canteen between her lips. I wished I had some of those smelling salts Doc kept in his bag to revive her enough to get some stew into her if she didn't come to by the time it was warm.

The first thing I noticed when I stepped into the bedroom doorway to take an unhindered look around the main room was the dipper hanging by a water barrel. Chester had used it to make coffee from what remained in the coffeepot and fresh grounds he'd unearthed to sweeten it. The pot sat on a wire stand in the hearth heating along with the stew. A second stand was large enough to hold a couple frying pans - one filled with bacon and the other with ham steaks. He was slicing potatoes for home fries on a board he'd cleaned off and placed on the table. Next to the spuds was the not yet empty paper that had been wrapped around the ham and bacon and packets of salt and sugar. An empty can that had held the beans he'd used to stretch the stew sat by the hearth on the floor where Chester dropped it. Two more unopened cans were on the table. He'd found the supplies and the bank money in their saddlebags. It looked like last night they supplemented the provisions they bought while waiting for the bank to open with a couple rabbits they shot.

A low murmur at the edge of my hearing brought my attention back to the redhead on the bed. In two long strides I was by her side. I couldn't take a chance on her awakening without my hand holding hers to reassure her that what occurred a half-hour earlier wasn't a dream. Her long lashes fluttered open. As if drawn to them, her eyes sought and found mine. I think it was partially to confirm the hand she felt did in fact belong to her cowboy.

"Jed Gunter wouldn't believe me, but I never doubted you'd come for me. Kiss me Cowboy so I know it's really you and not some desperate intensely vivid dream contrived by a parched and famished yet still hopeful hostage."

I didn't need any additional encouragement. Squeezing her hand in mine I bent over to place a jubilant kiss on her brow. Kitty was awake without Doc's ministrations!

"Honey, I'll prop you up and feed you as much of the food and coffee Chester's preparing you feel you can handle. Drink some water to tide you over until it's ready," I said letting go of her long enough to grab my canteen. "Hunch forward so I can prop up the pillows" I added as she swiped the canteen from me and drank.

"Matt Dillon, there's no need to treat me like an invalid after a long illness," she barked indignantly as she handed back my canteen. "All I did was faint. I fully intend to walk from one room to another. However, I've no objections to leaning on you as I make my way to a table filled with what passes for food and drink that Chester has laid out for us."

"Sorry Kitty. I can't let you do it and that's a fact."

"A fact is it! Just what makes you so sure?"

Her voice was playful, but with an undercurrent of imminent anger that would explode if I didn't reveal the reason for my reticence, over and above wanting her all to myself now that she was safe. Whatever I said, I knew I had to be careful.

"I'll help you up, but I can't let Chester see you. Stand by the bed while I gather enough clothes for you to associate with respectable society."

"I take it you're not respectable," she chuckled. "Okay mister, I'll don my outer garments we won't disturb Chester's delicate sensibilities," she replied, letting loose with one of her laughs that I'm sure was heard in the other room. "I'll even allow you to help me into them. I only wish I had the means to fix my hair and makeup so I'd fully presentable enough to be seen in public."

Kitty's laugh alerted my assistant to the fact we would soon be joining him. We took time to roll up the bedrolls and replace them with sheets and a quilt before coming into the main room a couple minutes later. Chester had his back to us, but his posture gave him away. I know he thought there'd been some hanky-panky behind that closed door and was embarrassed for thinking it. He'd set the table for three. The stewpot sat between the place settings so it could be easily reached by any of us. The same was true of the coffeepot. A ladle's handle was visible over the edge of the stewpot and a cloth lay between the coffeepot and a platter piled high with bacon and ham. Also on the table was a now full but once empty sugar bowl our cook found in the cupboard. Chester turned, the fry pan filled with sizzling home fries in his right hand, when he heard me slide Kitty's chair closer to the table after pulling it out so she could easily sit.

I grinned at Kitty as I gazed into her eyes from where I sat at the head of the table with her to my right. Chester sat opposite her where he could witness me serving her while she pretended to be much weaker than she actually was. Using my fork and the spatula left in the pan of taters I put a small portion of everything on her plate and poured a cup of coffee, even going so far as to add the exact amount of sugar she liked before handing it to her. Then I piled my plate high with everything while being careful to leave about a third of the stew. Chester followed my lead. He used his own fork for the ham and bacon, then, unlike me, emptied the stewpot. Thus began our informal meal. It didn't end until everything Chester cooked was eaten and the coffeepot was empty. Kitty helped me finish off what was on my plate. Chester needed no help emptying his.

"Chester, you've outdone yourself," Kitty commented. "Even the coffee was good and I'm not just saying that because this is my first meal in about ten hours short of two days. I almost feel normal, but I'm not sure I'm quite ready for the long ride home."

"Mr. Dillon, what would you like me to do?" he asked looking at me.

"After you water and feed my and Kitty's horses in the shed out back you can ride for Dodge. Take the saddlebags filled with the stolen money to Mr. Bodkin at the bank and the Gunter brothers to the undertaker along with their bedrolls. I'll deal with notifying the authorities of their deaths. Take some of the coffee, bacon and ham and a fry pan for the trip, but you'll have to use the empty can. We'll need the pots and spare fry pan. Just be sure you leave us enough of the food, not just jerky, to last until Kitty's ready to travel and for us to get home."

My assistant rode off for Dodge with few objections managing to leave Kitty and I one fry pan, the coffeepot and coffee, the remaining sugar in the bowl, a shaker filled with salt, half a rasher of bacon, three ham steaks and half a dozen spuds. We had the cabin to ourselves, not as long as we wished, but as long as practicality allowed. Practicality meant staying only until the following morning. Any longer would cause Doc to ask too many questions.

"Honey, I'll cook you the breakfast I promised you yesterday before we leave at daybreak. Otherwise we won't get back to Dodge in time for a late supper. In the meantime, I plan to take full advantage of a second chance to be alone with you. We can forget our spoiled plans from yesterday. There's even a bit extra in it for you. I'll be joining you for that ride across the prairie you offered."

"Is that a fact?"

"That's a fact," I replied as I guided my redhead back to the bedroom.


End file.
